


Puppy Love

by Clary_Amelia



Series: Puppy Love [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes Has PTSD, Bucky Barnes has a dog, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-24
Packaged: 2018-05-30 10:56:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6421024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clary_Amelia/pseuds/Clary_Amelia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky Barnes got his dog after a suggestion from Sam, to help with the nightmares. Tank slept beside him, on him most of the time. He loved his dog. He never shied away from him, and he helped him feel more human again. Steve Rogers works for a dog care company. He loves Tank, but has never met his owner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tank

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic, and I'd love some constructive criticism! If I missed a tag/tagged something wrong, let me know, I'll gladly add it. I hope you enjoy it!

James Buchanan Barnes loved his dog. He would do anything for Tank. His only problem was that he wasn’t able to be home all the time. He absolutely loved his dog, but working for Stark Industry left him little time to devote to playing with him. So when Bucky found a dog care company, he jumped at the chance. He was supposed to meet the man in person the first time he came over to care for Tank, but Mr. Stark released a statement saying he was Iron Man and Bucky had to clean up the mess that had left behind. He left a note for the man on the counter though, right beneath Tank’s favorite toy.   
_Tank is about the only good thing I got in my life right now. I’m paying you good money (I have extra for if you do an amazing job and my dog likes you) to watch for my dog while I can’t. IF you hurt Tank, I will find you, and I will kill you. His toys are next to his dog bed, his leash is hanging up in the laundry room. He loves to play fetch, but sometimes he won’t give you the toy back. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay to meet you. Take care of my dog. -James_

He hated having to run. Tank was like his child. He got him after a suggestion from Sam, saying that a dog may help his nightmares. Tank slept right beside him, mostly on him. He never shied away from either hand, and he loved waking Bucky up every day for their morning run. If something happened to him, he wasn’t sure what he would do. 

Bucky spent three days doing PR for Mr. Stark’s Iron Man aftermath and running around for Pepper while she tried to get their heads on straight and start taking over the company. On the fourth day, he was near crazy with anxiety to go home to Tank. When he finally got through the doors of his apartment, he smiled in relief to hear Tank’s barking and his nails clicking on the floor as he ran to greet Bucky. He knelt down in time to open his arms for Tank, chuckling and grinning. “Hey, boy! Were you a good dog for the man?” Bucky didn’t even know his name. But Tank looked fine. He looked happy, and he had water dripping off of his fur where he must have just drank. He didn’t seem hungry. He seemed healthy and happy. Bucky was immensely grateful. “Come on. Let’s go to the kitchen so I can get some water and then we’ll go play?” He scratched his ears and shut the door before leading Tank into the kitchen. Tank ran around his legs and he laughed, maneuvering around the kitchen as safely as he could. He saw a paper out of the corner of his eye and frowned. He picked it up and realized that it was a stack of papers, four of them. 

_ Your dog is adorable. Took him a while to warm up to me, but after I gave him some treats, he loved me. We went to the park and played fetch. He made a new friend, and was not happy to come back home. -Steve _

 

_ I think he misses you. He kept going over to one of the pictures on the wall. I don’t know which one you are, but I assume you’re in the photo. -Steve _

 

_ Tank is amazing. He’s so nice and gentle. He let a kid play with him for a long time while were were at the park. I think he may think you’ve left him. He seemed really down when we got back. -Steve _

 

_ I may take Tank with me. I love the dog. I got him a new toy while I was out, it’s in his bed. I know you’re supposed to be back soon, just let the agency know if you need hours changed or if you want days skipped. (But I’m going to try and be the one they keep on for you, Tank is too cute.) -Steve _

 

Bucky looked down at Tank who had sat himself down right beside his legs. “You were a good dog, huh? Steve apparently loves you.” He petted his head. “Let’s go see this new toy, huh?” 

  
  


Bucky still hasn't met the man who was taking care of his dog. But it was the same one each day. He tried, countless times to stay and meet him, but something always came up. Such was the life of Tony Stark’s personal assistant now that Ms. Potts ran the company. But they did communicate. The notes that Steve left him were getting cuter and cuter. Although there were a lot of threats to steal his dog. Tank seemed happier, so he couldn't complain. 

 

_ Tank chased a squirrel so hard that he didn’t notice it running up the tree and he ran smack into it. He’s okay though! No harm done, he was just a little stunned. He was fine as soon as he caught sight of the frisbee. -Steve _

 

_ I don’t know which one you are, there’s at least two people in literally every one of your photos, you couldn’t have one selfie with Tank around to help a guy out? -Steve _

 

_ Seriously. I’m guessing. Are you the one in the real nice suit? But I think that’s Tony Stark. Hmm. Maybe you’re the dark guy with the nice smile? -Steve _

 

_ Really? Not even a yes or no? Ugh. Maybe the guy with long hair? -Steve _

 

_ Okay, now you’re just teasing me by not letting me know if I’m right. So because of that I can only assume that I was right about one of the men. -Steve _

 

_ Tank is a beautiful dog, you know? I’d love to draw him. -Steve  _

 

One day, before Bucky had to meet Tony in his lab for a check up on his metal arm the man had made him, he was feeling particularly brave. It had been months of reading the cutest notes. He really, really wanted to meet this man. 

 

_ So, Steve. I’m very sorry about not being able to meet you.. But I really want to. Maybe we could go out some time? Possibly without Tank at first? Even though I know he loves you. Some days he isn’t happy when he sees me walking through the door. And it is fair that you aren’t sure which is me, seeing as I don’t know what you look like at all either. -Bucky _

 

Bucky ran out the door, pausing only to scratch Tank’s ears. Tony was going to kill him because he was now running very late. 

He ended up skidding into his lab twenty minutes later than he was supposed to. “James!” Tony shouted. “You’re never late! What held you up? Is Tank alright?” 

 

“He’s perfectly fine, Tony. I was leaving a note for the man who takes care of him while I’m stuck here with you,” he mumbled while trying to catch his breath. Tony waggled his brows and he groaned, automatically regretting the decision to tell him about Steve.

 

“It’s about damn time. You’ve been sulky lately. And you know I’m the only one around here who can do sulky. So. You got in his pants yet?” He gestured for Bucky to sit down with his wrench. Bucky did as he wanted and plopped down beside him frowning at him. 

 

“No. I don’t even know what he looks like. But Tank adores him, and he leaves the cutest notes after he watches Tank. And every bonus I give him he just spends it on Tank.” He shook his head. Finding that out had been a surprise, but he found that he thought it was just plain adorable. 

 

“Now, I find that hard to believe. Bucky Barnes, the man that can rival me, hasn’t been with him yet? You must be holding out on me!” At that, Bucky snorted. 

 

“No one can rival you, Stark. Now are you gonna fix my arm or not?” Bucky muttered, cheeks flushing. 

 


	2. Love Notes

Bucky came home hours later, and could hear Tank barking and saw him jumping up on the couch. He smiled happily as he unlocked his door calling out for his dog. Tank ran at him, jumping up and pressing his paws into his chest. “Hey, buddy.” He ruffled his hands through his fur. “Let’s go see what Steve wrote, yeah?” 

His heart was pounding as he walked into the kitchen. He saw the paper laying innocently face down on his counter. But instead of manning up and reading it immediately, he made himself some coffee. And then he made sure that Tank had enough food and water.  _ Alright Barnes,  _ he thought to himself.  _ You’ve led men into near certain death. You can take a simple ‘no’ from the man who takes care of your dog while you’re gone. _

  


He took in a lungful of air. And then he took out his phone and called Sam. 

  


Sam, the amazing friend that he is, picked up on the first ring. “You alright?” Was the first thing he said. Bucky nodded, and then shook his head. Even though he wasn’t there to see him.

  


“I don’t know, man. You know how I had to hire someone to help look after Tank while I was out with Stark?” At Sam’s affirmative, he spilled everything to Sam. “He leaves the cutest notes, Sam. And I think I’m falling for him. I don’t even know what he looks like! And today before I left, I finally made myself ask him out, and he left a note and now I’m afraid to see what he wrote.” 

  


Sam, the asshole that he is, had the gall to laugh at him. “So, you’re stalling by calling me, yeah? Read what he wrote, dude. Will it help you if you stay on the phone with me?” Bucky chewed on his lip before sighing. 

  


“Yeah. I ever tell you you’re a great friend?” Bucky walked around his counter, picking up the note and flipping it over. 

  


“Every once in awhile. Not nearly as much as you should, since I am a great friend.” Bucky snorted at that, and mumbled something like ‘yeah, sure, sure’.

  


_ Are you asking me out? I kind of hope you’re asking me out. Isn’t that strange? Well. Maybe it isn’t. If you are asking me out.. There’s a gallery opening soon. A few days away actually. I’d love for you to come. I’ll see if I can pick you out of the crowd, maybe? -Steve _

  


He even left his number as a postscript, in case they couldn’t find each other at all. Bucky was smiling like a teenager, and he shook his head. A man who he’s never met shouldn’t have this kind of pull over him! He bit his lip and laughed at himself. “Sam? Sam, he asked me to a gallery opening.”

  


“Really? He must be trying to impress. Or he’s just really into art. Either way, you have a date, Barnes. Don’t screw it up.” Bucky rolled his eyes at his ceiling. 

  


“Thanks for sounding oh so confident in me, Sam. You’re the best,” he deadpanned before hanging up on him. He flipped Steve’s note over and grabbed a pen. He clicked it a couple times before finally deciding on something to write. 

  


_ I think I am asking you out. An art gallery, huh? I’ll be there! I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to pick me out of the crowd. I’ve been told I’m a bit hard to miss. But I can’t wait. Maybe we could go out for dinner afterwards? -Bucky _

  


Tank barked at him to get his attention, and nosed his ball towards Bucky. “You just wanna play, huh buddy?” He grinned and scooped up the ball. “Come on, let’s go. I’ll worry about my new date later.” He mentally started going through his closet. What was appropriate for a gallery opening? Should he wear the suits he got for Stark Industries? Or should he dress down a little bit? He figured if this was his first time seeing Steve though, he ought to give a great first impression. So, the dark slim cut suit it was. Ms. Potts always told him it made his eyes stand out that much more, so he thought it couldn’t hurt, right? 

  
Apparently he wasn’t playing hard enough for Tank’s liking, as he was just knocked straight to the ground, the dog on his chest and licking at his face. _Pay attention to me!_ Bucky laughed and scratched his ears. “You’re such a good boy, aren’t you?” Tank licked a stripe on the side of his face and he scrunched his nose up. “Aw, no, come on Tank!” He shook his head and sighed, wiping his face off, but still smiling at his dog. 


	3. Art Galleries and First Meetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that it's been a while since I posted, real life caught up to me. Also, I'm sorry about the chapter names, I'm not good with naming them!

Sam was getting annoyed with him, Bucky could tell. But he couldn’t help that he was a bit nervous. He had come home two days ago to find just an address and a date on a piece of paper with Steve’s name on it. 

 

Sam had come over that day to see Bucky and Tank, since he hadn’t been able to get out and see them in a while. “Man, come on, you’re going on a date with Steve that takes care of your dog, to an art gallery. You’re not getting married to the man tonight.” He had watched Bucky come out of the room in seven different outfits already. Bucky sighed and ran his hands through his hair. 

 

“I’m just nervous. I want to look good, I mean, this is the first time he’s seen me, Sam!” He frowned at his friend and sat down next to him on the couch. “What if he sees me and gets freaked out because of the arm? When he was guessing who I was, he picked out you. He’s probably hoping for you,” he mumbled, throwing his flesh arm over his eyes. 

 

“Well, at least we know the guy has good taste,” Sam teased him. Bucky groaned. “Calm down. He's going to like you. And even if he doesn't man, so what? We can find you a nice girl or guy that Tank loves.” Bucky peeked at him.

 

“How childish am I going to sound if I say I don't want someone else, I want Steve to like me?” Bucky asked him quietly. 

 

“Come on. You need to get going. I'll take Tank for a walk, yeah?” Bucky nodded and thanked Sam before standing up, grabbing his keys and checking his reflection one last time. He said goodbye to Tank and took a deep breath before walking outside to catch a taxi.

 

Bucky had never felt so out of place before. And he is an army vet working for Tony stark with a metal StarkTech arm. He was uncomfortable, looking at all of the pieces of modern art that Ms. Potts and everyone else loves so much. 

 

It took him a moment to realize that most of the artists were there, but eventually he saw them talking and sort of explaining their art. He walked around aimlessly, hoping he could actually find Steve and wouldn't have to call him. 

 

After a few moments of wandering around, he started seeing groups of paintings and photos that actually looked like art to him. He saw a painting of a park, and on closer inspection, it looked like the park he would take Tank to. That painting was part of a collection, and Bucky decided he wanted to take a closer look. 

 

There were a lot of landscape drawings and paintings alike. One had the skyline and the Stark tower, another was of an old apartment building, and they were all incredibly beautiful. Bucky loved them all. As he got further down the line there was a painting of a group of friends. The blond man on the side was smiling happily, and beside him another man, slightly smaller than the first, grinned goofily out at the audience. He had his arm around a gorgeous redheaded woman's waist, her green eyes sparkled and she smirked like she knew the best secret of them all. 

 

And right beside that painting was his dog. Tank had been put on canvas with what seemed like a lot of love and care. He walked over to inspect it closer and saw that it was Tank, with his collar and all. Bucky frowned. Was this Steve? Or someone else? Or just an insane coincidence?   
  
And then he saw a very, very handsome man standing in front of an oil painting of.. Him? He recognized the photo it came from. He stood with Sam, laughing, his flesh arm wrapped around Sam’s shoulders. It was taken a few months after he got Tank, when the nightmares had started to lessen, and he was getting more sleep, and Tony had made him his new arm. It’d been the first time Bucky was really happy since coming home.

 

The man stood in front of Sam, blocking him out. Bucky noticed how, instead of the sleeveless shirt that showed off his arm, he was dressed in a long sleeved shirt. He tried not to feel hurt that the man didn’t think his metal arm was good enough for a painting. He could only assume that this was Steve. And other than his discontent with the arm being regular again, he saw that he and the blond looked pretty good together. He heard a few snickers from around him and blanched. He must have said that out loud. Shit. 

 

The blond man looked up, and saw him, and looked back to the people around him, and quickly excused himself from the conversation. He hurried over to Bucky and smiled brightly at him. “So I was right!” 

 

“Yeah, but you did guess three men, and one of them had to be right,” Bucky reminded him. He was about to ask about his arm, and the painting of Tank, when the man- Steve- started talking again. 

 

“I’m sorry, I should have asked, to be able to put Tank and you and your friend in my collection..” Bucky grinned and shook his head. 

 

“No, it looks amazing. I don’t know how I feel about the arm..” Steve’s eyes widened. 

 

“Oh! No, no, I didn’t mean to make you think that I thought it wasn’t pretty enough to be on display. I just really didn’t want to put that up without your consent. I love it. I’d love to draw it. To draw you..” Bucky smiled softly then. He was glad that Steve didn’t see it as monstrous.

 

“Oh, really? You’d like to.. Draw me?” Bucky couldn’t help the little goofy grin he let slip. Steve nodded happily. Bucky cleared his throat. “So.. do you wanna get out of here?”

 

“Yeah, of course. I’ve been here long enough. There’s a nice place to eat a few blocks away?” Bucky grinned and nodded. 

 

“That sounds amazing. I’m starving. Maybe after you can come over and see Tank tonight?” Steve smiled happily. 

 

“I’d love that!” He held his hand out. “Let’s get going, yeah?” Bucky took his hand and let Steve lead him out of the art gallery. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there's going to be one more chapter for this story, and I'm going to try to have it up before the end of the weekend!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is so late! But I hope you guys enjoy it!

Steve took Bucky to a diner not too far away from the gallery. Bucky had passed by the diner dozens of times before, but he never stopped to go inside. And now he was glad that Steve brought him here. The smell was amazing. And they had homemade pies for dessert. 

  
Bucky sat opposite Steve in the booth and tugged his sleeve down over his arm. He wasn’t embarrassed of it anymore, but he still hated the looks he got. And at least if most of it was covered, people just glanced over it and didn’t really say anything. Steve looked like he wanted to ask him something, he kept opening his mouth before snapping it shut. 

 

“I was in the army,” Bucky started quietly. “There was.. There was a bomb, in an orphanage. My unit had gotten all of the kids out. I was the last one left inside, making sure the others with kids and wives and families had made it out. I had almost cleared the blast zone. I was just too slow.”

 

Steve reached out and hesitantly placed his hand over Bucky’s flesh and blood hand. “You’re a real hero, you know that?” Bucky shook his head and waved away Steve’s compliments. 

 

“Nah, I just did what I had to do to be able to live with myself once I finally got home.” He shrugged. Steve gave him a soft smile before looking down at his menu. 

 

Dinner passed without much incident, they made small talk, mainly about Tank, and how Steve has been thinking about getting a dog of his own, and would bring him with him when he came to take care of Tank. After they fought over who was paying the bill (Steve won, having grabbed the slip of paper when Bucky was reaching for his wallet) and paid, they stood outside the tiny diner, hands in pockets looking awkwardly at each other. Bucky cleared his throat. 

 

“Do you want to come back and see Tank? He’d be excited to see the both of us at once, I’ll bet,” Bucky murmured. Steve smiled excitedly and nodded. Bucky couldn’t help but laugh, he looked almost like a puppy himself, nodding jerkily.

 

Steve reached out and hesitantly took hold of Bucky’s hand. To his surprise, it was his metal hand. Bucky glanced up at Steve to see if he was freaking out. But he looked like nothing was off about anything at all. He seemed to feel Bucky’s gaze and looked over at him. “Are you alright? Is this.. Not okay?” 

 

“No! This is fine, Steve. I’m just not used to people wanting to touch the arm. Other than Stark. But he has a weird level of obsession with all of his inventions.” He gently squeezed the other man’s hand, and smiled up at him. 

 

“How is working at Stark Industries?” Bucky shook his head and chuckled. 

 

“It’s always interesting, at the least.” Bucky led Steve through the streets, since they had decided to walk back to Bucky’s house. 

 

From the time it took them to walk from the diner to Bucky’s place, Steve called him a nerd at least seven times. But he was quick to assure that he thought it was too cute that he loved comic books and couldn’t wait for the next Stark Expo. Bucky, however, learned that Steve, who looked pretty scary at first glance, was a giant teddy bear. He loved dogs, and eventually wanted to get one of his own. 

 

“Tank will be very sad if you stop coming over to play with him while I’m at work,” Bucky told him nonchalantly. 

 

“Oh, don’t you worry about that. I’ll keep taking care of Tank. I love him.” He gave Bucky a cheeky grin and said, “I think he’s the reason I wanted to go out with you. I’ve just wanted your dog all along.” 

 

Bucky snorted a laugh and shook his head. “I should’ve known that was all you wanted.” Steve swung their hands between their bodies as they grew closer to Bucky’s apartment building. Bucky led them up the stairs to his door. Sam had locked up after him, and Bucky could hear Tank come running as soon as he heard the keys, barking loudly. Once Bucky got the door opened, Tank jumped up and put his paws on his chest, licking at his face. And then he noticed Steve, barked louder and attacked the other man with kisses and his over-excited barks. 

 

They eventually got Tank calmed down enough to get him back inside Bucky’s house. Bucky had Steve sit in the living room while he went and made them some drinks. Tank would sit at Bucky’s feet, and then run back to Steve, and repeated that until Bucky was walking back to the other man. “I think he’s excited that both of us are here, don’t you think?”

 

Steve laughed and let Tank sit in his lap, scratching his ears and letting him lick at his face. After Tank calmed down enough to lay over their laps, Bucky and Steve settled in to watch a movie. Once it was over, Steve glanced over at Bucky and bit his lip. Bucky glanced over at him and raised his brow. “So.. are we gonna do this again?” he blurted out. 

 

Bucky grinned and felt the tips of his ears burn, but he nodded. “Yeah. I think we are.” He reached down and rubbed Tank’s head. 

  
“Looks like you just scored me a second date, buddy,” he murmured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading this! I hope you liked it! And if you want, I could make this into a series, and keep writing more about the boys and Tank! You can find me on tumblr at sapphire37  
> I'd be happy to take prompts!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Drop a comment if you'd like to read more of this! I could make it into a series if enough people are into it. I promise the rest of the story is going to be up as soon as I can write it!


End file.
